WHILE some people have re-instated last year’s pretend Christmas tree or gone out and bought one, others have had to work for theirs.

Luckily this has proved to be more fun than it might sound. Over the past couple of weeks, groups of people have been working on Chobham Common to clear encroaching pine and birch to help the heathland birds. In return for their work, each member of the working parties has been given a Christmas tree to take home. Members of the public and staff from local companies have been signing up to take part in the environmental days. Last week, nearly 100 staff from BP spent the day working on the common. Roz Hutchinson, corporate marketing officer at Surrey Wildlife Trust, said: “Pine clearance is a regular part of heathland conservation work, but Chobham Common covers a very big area and can take an awfully long time if there are only a few people doing the work. “To get so many people along on one day is excellent for us as it enables us to clear a large area.”